Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-25
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
The plans below show the site of a farm in 1950 and the same site today.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
The map illustrates the site of a farm named beechwood in 1950 and present.
Overall, There has been many changes since 1950, sheep area has been fully changed and parking, camping field and solar panels have been installed. Track and many areas have been introduced.
In The north, sheep area has been fully changed and many areas have been introduced like parking, camping field with the tents and solar panels. Track have been converted into the road .In west, a small farm shop was built in the fruit tree area.
In the south-east, a barn was displaced in the south connect to the road, and holiday cottage was built instead of barn. However, many areas like farmhouse, chickens, vegetable, soft fruits have remained unchanged. A river and the road connecting to that road have remained untouched.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. While you have identified the main features of the farm's transformation, the analysis is somewhat superficial. You mention that the sheep area was 'fully changed' and list new additions, but you do not provide enough detail or comparative analysis to fully develop the response. The overview is present but lacks a clear summary of the most significant trends, such as the shift from agricultural focus to tourism-related facilities. To improve, ensure you describe the spatial changes more precisely and meet the length requirement to allow for a more comprehensive report.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical. For instance, the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is abrupt. There is a lack of variety in linking words, and some sentences feel disconnected. While the progression of information is generally logical, the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the phrase 'connecting to that road' which lacks specific detail. Improving the use of transition signals and ensuring clearer logical links between sentences would enhance the flow and coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. You rely on simple verbs like 'changed', 'built', and 'introduced'. There is little attempt to use more sophisticated or precise vocabulary related to map descriptions, such as 'transformed', 'converted', 'replaced', or 'expanded'. Additionally, there are some awkward phrasings, such as 'sheep area has been fully changed' and 'a barn was displaced in the south connect to the road'. To achieve a higher band, you should aim to incorporate a wider range of topic-specific vocabulary and improve your control over word choice and collocation.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'There has been many changes' (subject-verb agreement), 'Track have been converted' (pluralization error), and 'a barn was displaced in the south connect to the road' (incorrect verb form/preposition usage). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with capitalization and spacing around commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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